A suspected shoplifting incident at a Walmart turned terrifying when a 21-year-old suddenly pointed a gun at an Ohio police officer, bodycam footage shows.
Shane Newman, 21, and Katerina Jeffrey, 23, were detained after being accused of shoplifting at a Walmart on December 18. The situation quickly escalated when the 21-year-old suddenly cocked a gun at an officer.
At the Walmart Supercenter in Canton, Ohio, the pair were escorted into the store’s “loss prevention office,” where an officer patted down Newman, asking if he had “anything on him that I need to know about,” according to bodycam footage obtained by NBC News. The 21-year-old said just his phone.
Sitting on a bench in the office, the young duo was questioned as an officer sat across from them.
At one point, Newman put his face in his hands and dropped to his side, visibly distressed. At another, he says: “I told her not to steal.” An officer replied: “You did it, too.”
A few minutes later, the Canton police officer’s bodycam footage captured Newman turning around, apparently reaching something out of his bag, and then pulling out a firearm, which he aimed directly at the officer.
“No! No! No!” Jeffrey, who remained seated next to Newman, shouted
“Hey!” a Walmart employee standing near by shouted before he lunged toward Newman. The employee then grabbed the 21-year-old’s arms and wrestled with him, eventually dislodging the gun from his grip.
As the tussle ensued, another officer grabbed a gun and pointed it at Newman.
“No, Shane, please, no!” Jeffrey yelled, before rising off the bench and running away from the violent scene.
That officer appeared to kick Newman, grab him by the head and then punch him while the 20-something was still sitting on the bench. The officer then brought him to the ground.
No shots were ever fired. The chilling chain of events — from the time Newman reaches for the firearm until he’s tackled to the ground — spanned just 20 seconds.
Newman now faces several criminal charges, including attempt to commit murder, felonious assault on an officer, and robbery, court records show. Jeffrey was charged with complicity to commit robbery, records show.
Both have yet to make a plea and are next due in court on December 23.
“This incident is a reminder of the ever-present threat of violence against police officers and the gracious provision of God’s protection,” Canton Police Chief John Gabbard told NBC News in a statement.
The Independent has asked the Canton Police and Walmart for comment.
“The safety and security of our customers and associates is always a top priority,” Jessie Carpenter, Walmart Asset Protection Operations Coach, told WAFB in a statement. “We’re proud of the brave action our asset protection associate took to maintain the safety of everyone in our store. We’ll continue to work with police as they investigate.”
